Compendium of History
Reminiscence & Biography of Western
Nebraska

page 551

German descent, born in Ohio, settling in Indiana when he was
twelve years old, and still resides in that state. His wife was a
native of New Jersey, and died when her family of children were
still quite young. Mr. and Mrs. Strong have five children, who are
named as follows: Royston C., Bessie M., Della A., James F. and
Dick W., two of whom are married and reside in Alliance, and the
rest make this their home, their postoffice address being
Lakeside, Nebraska. Mr. Strong is a gentleman of active public
spirit and takes a keen interest in local and state affairs, but
has never held any except local office. He cast his first vote for
U. S. Grant, in 1872, and has always voted the Republican
ticket.

---->o<----

CLARENCE A.
FORSLING

In the gentleman above named we
have another one of the sturdy sons of Sweden, who left his native
land and came to this country to help in the steady march of
progress, and incidentally to build up for himself a home and
fortune for his descendants. Mr. Forsling was born January 10th,
1870, and grew to the age of eleven years in the land of his
birth, then came to America with his parents. A sketch of his
brother. C. A., is given in this volume, also the family
history.

Mr. Forsling first lived in
Hardin county, Iowa, after striking the states, and made that his
home for six years, later went to Chicago and secured employment
with the Northwestern Railroad Company and was connected with that
company for one year, then came to Phelps county, and later to
Kimball county, Nebraska. He is the owner of several ranches, one
situated on Lodgepole creek and one on the table land, owning
altogether about four thousand acres, and engages in stock raising
on an extensive scale, running about one hundred cattle and
seventy-five horses. Besides his stock raising operations he
raises large quantities of hay each year. He has a complete set of
good buildings on his ranch., and every improvement for the
operation of a model farm. Mr. Forsling is also engaged in the
livery business, and a member of the firm of Forsling &
Walker, pioneer real estate agents, with offices in Kimball. He
owns and occupies a handsome residence in the town and is a
prominent factor in all town and county affairs. In 1900 he was
elected sheriff of the county, holding that office up to 1905.
Politically he is a Republican. Mr. Forsling was married to Miss
Rose Lynch, July 13th, 1898, at Cheyenne, Wyoming. Miss Lynch was
born in Cheyenne county, Nebraska, her parents being a pioneer
family in the region, and among the very first settlers. Her
mother is still living, but the father is dead. Four children have
been born to our subject and his amiable wife, namely: John W.,
Lela, James C. and Mary, all living at home.

---->o<----

GEORGE ARTHUR
HEATH.

George Arthur Heath, a
progressive and enterprising farmer and stockman of Cherry county,
Nebraska, is one of the early settlers of this region. He resides
on his pleasant farm in section 18, township 33, range 34, known
as "95 Ranch," where he has succeeded in building up one of the
valuable estates of the locality, and is considered one of the
substantial agriculturists of the community.

Mr. Heath was born in Canada July
14, 1864. His father, George Heath, lived on a farm near Libby
Mills, and the family remained there until our subject was two and
a half years old, then moved to the United States, locating at
Steamboat Rock, Hardin county, Iowa. There were six children, of
whom he was the oldest member, and at the age of eighteen years he
started out for himself, securing employment on farms in the
locality of his parents' home, and continued at this for three
years. In 1886 he came to Nebraska and settled on a homestead in
Cherry county; which place he now occupies. During the first three
years he worked out through the winter and devoted his summers to
building up his farm and breaking land. He had a hard time to get
along and went through the dry years, but was very fortunate in
never having had a total failure of crops since starting here. He
has made all he had since coming to this locality, as he had no
start at all except a strong heart and willing hands, and has
worked hard to meet his payments on his land and to improve his
place, but is now owner of a ranch and farm of four hundred and
eighty acres of deeded land besides a homestead tract of four
hundred and eighty acres additional. He farms one hundred and
thirty acres and is engaged to a large extent in the stock
business, running about one hundred head of cattle and twenty
horses. A view of the family residence and surroundings will be
found on another page in this work.

Mr. Heath was first married
February 7, 1892, to Miss Anna Mone, born in 1864, at Plattsmouth,
Nebraska, her parents being of Irish descent and early settlers in
this locality. Two children were born of this marriage: Rosa and
Nellie, and on September 22, 1899, the family suffered the loss of
the wife and mother. Feb-

Compendium of History
Reminiscence & Biography of Western
Nebraska

When our subject came to this
section he was the second settler on Boiling Springs Flat, and has
remained on this ever since. His entire time is devoted to his
home and farm, and although he is a loyal Democrat he has never
had any time to devote to taking an active part in politics.

---->o<----

ALBARA D.
BEEBE.

Albara D. Beebe. whose postoffice
address is Ainswortb, Brown county, Nebraska, is widely known as a
leading representative of the agricultural interests of this
section of the state, and has won from rather unfavorable
conditions by industry, thrift and prudence, a very considerable
competence, which he is able to enjoy while still in the vigor of
his manly strength and vital powers.

Mr. Beebe was born in Chardon
Village, Geauga county, Ohio, November 14, 1849, and came of a
family long settled in the state of New York, but of remote
English extraction. His parents, Nelson and Caroline (Twung)
Beebe, were devoted to the cultivation of the soil. They early
felt the drawing of the west, and for some years made a home in
Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, but later removed to Waseca county,
Minnesota, where from 1860 and on the paternal home was
maintained, and where the subject of this writing and the only
other member of the family, his brother, George, who is now a
resident of Oregon, grew to manhood. There Nelson Beebe died, and
his death was soon followed by that of his wife. Albara D. Beebe
was thrown upon his own resources, and began life for himself as a
worker in the grain warehouses at Wells, Minnesota, at the early
age of eighteen years. He was quick to master the mysteries of
grain buying and grading, and for some years was employed as a
grain buyer. While a resident of Rushford, Minnesota, he was
elected marshal, and held the office several years. While still in
Minnesota he was married in Waseca county, and was blessed with
three children, Charles, Albert and Clara. He contracted a second
marriage in Nebraska, in 1880, when Miss Sarah Hastter became his
wife. She is a native of Richland county, Ohio, and is a lady of
many charms and social abilities. To this union there have come
five children, George, Robert, Effie, Lloyd and Lawrence, all of
whom were born in this state, and constitute a bright and
interesting circle of young people.

For a time Mr. Beebe was engaged
in the drug business at Rushford, but came to Nebraska and made
his home in Hall county for some two or three years. In 1882 he
removed his family from Hall county to a claim which he had
located the previous year, and described as part of section 14,
township 30, range 21. The homecoming journey was not uneventful,
being made across country with ox teams and a covered wagon. The
house which became the first family home was built of logs, and
had a shingle roof, the first of the kind between Longpine and
Ainsworth. For two years it was without a board flooring, that
being a luxury that could await the establishment of the family
finances on a firmer footing. For some two years Mr. Beebe used
oxen before he was able to supply himself with work horses. Take
it altogether these were hard and toilsome days, but their memory
can but make sweeter the present independence and ease. To
maintain his family he worked out for a time, and hauled wood for
a living. At one period he worked forty days for seventy-five
cents a day and his dinner. Now these experiences seem almost a
forgotten dream amid the privileges and comforts of his present
well earned independence. He is the respected proprietor and
operator of a choice half section of Brown county, all of which
with the exception of about sixty acres is under active
cultivation. Here he has erected a very comfortable and attractive
two-story farm house, forty-eight by twenty-six feet, and a modern
and well appointed barn forty-eight by thirty-two feet. He has
brought into fine condition a charming grove as well as a good
orchard. Here he has an ample supply of the best farm machinery,
and is extensively engaged in stock raising. In the spring of 1906
he had some twenty head of horses, thirty head of cattle and one
hundred and thirty-five hogs. He owns his entire plant clean and
clear, and owes not a dollar to anybody. He has done his full
share in the development of Brown county, and is known by all
conversant with its history as one of its leading settlers and
pioneer citizens. Although never taking an interest in party
politics, he has been a patriotic and public-spirited participant
in local affairs; and for more than fifteen years has been school
director, and assessor for eight years.

---->o<----

PHYLANDER H.
YOUNG.

Phylander H. Young, a very
successful ranchman of Cherry county. Nebraska, whose home and
business are to he found in section 24. township 31. range 29. is
western born and bred, and thoroughly familiar with all the
conditions of life in that vast region which he has made his home.
His father, George Young, was a